1. Technical Field
This invention relates to people moving devices in general, and to combplates for people moving devices in particular.
2. Background Art
Escalators, moving walkways, and other people moving devices efficiently move a large volume of pedestrian traffic from one point to another. At each end of the device, landing areas provide access to moving steps (or belts, or pallets) traveling at a constant rate of speed. The landing areas typically include a floorplate and a combplate. The floorplate covers a structural frame which, in the landing, houses mechanical equipment for actuating the moving steps. The combplate is an intermediary surface between the stationary floorplate and the moving steps.
Historically, combplates and floorplates have included a steel body covered by a liner made of a wear and corrosion resistant material. The liner was typically attached to the floorplate or combplate by conventional fasteners such as rivets, which were often exposed. The liner was usually contoured to make the surface as slip resistant as possible.
A problem with the aforementioned floorplate and combplate arrangement is that the liners often vibrate loose or free from the underlying floorplate or combplate. Several disadvantages arise from loose or free liners. First, a liner vibrating against an underlying floorplate or combplate creates undesirable noise. A person of skill in the art will recognize that the "quietness" of a people moving device is perceived as an indicia of quality. Another disadvantage of a loose or free liner is that it presents a potential safety hazard for passengers entering and exiting the machine. Still another disadvantage of a loose or free liner is that the conventional fasteners may become free from the floorplate or combplate. Free fasteners may create undesirable noise within the device, as well as cause damage to the machinery inside of the landing of the device.
The weight of steel floorplates and combplates is another disadvantage of the prior art. Maneuvering heavy steel floorplates and combplates is almost always difficult and sometimes necessitates the use of a hoist.